Israeli army punishes soldiers for protesting over settler evictions

MARK WEISS, in Jerusalem

THE ISRAELI army has moved quickly to punish soldiers protesting against the dismantling of West Bank settler outposts, as the country's leaders warned about the dangers of what appears to be a growing trend in the traditionally apolitical military forces.

Yesterday four soldiers were disciplined for erecting a banner on their base stating their infantry battalion would not take part in the evacuation of Jewish settlers from illegal West Bank outposts.

Two other soldiers in the unit who participated in the protest were punished the previous day.

All received prison terms, were demoted or were confined to base.

A similar protest in another unit took place last month, prompting a group of 25 reservists to write to their commander asking to be exempted from evicting settlers.

Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu warned that soldiers refusing orders would lead to the collapse of the state.

"There is no place for insubordination," he said. "The army depends on the right to give and receive orders."

Israeli defence minister Ehud Barak called the soldiers' protests "a serious phenomenon".

"The moment you wear a uniform, you are subject to the authority of the state and the elected government," Mr Barak said.

"Any legal order issued must be carried out."

The Knesset's foreign affairs and defence committee will hold a special meeting next week to discuss the matter.

Some 15 right-wing Knesset members have signed a Bill calling for any eviction of settlers to be carried out by the civilian police force, not by troops.

One leading general warned that the problem would continue to grow as long as there were soldiers who preferred to listen to rabbis than their officers.

The problem is particularly acute in homogeneous units comprising religious soldiers who sign up for a programme combining compulsory military service with Torah study in a seminary.

Most rabbis and right-wing politicians have condemned the troops' insubordination, but a minority have voiced their support, accusing the political echelon of politicising the army.

Rabbi Elyakim Levanon from the West Bank settlement of Elon Moreh, who has in the past called on his students to refuse orders, said it was no surprise that soldiers reacted unfavourably to commands asking them to evacuate friends and relatives from their homes.